William Shakespeare wonderfully develops the character Marc Antony in his play Julius Caesar to be a round character. Round characters meaning a character that has many traits and isnt predictable. Antony, who seems to not have many different traits at the beginning of Julius Caesar, really starts showing his real self after Caesars death.
That also shows that he is unpredictable. Antonys monologues and soliloquies really help to show readers Antony as a round character. A few traits these soliloquies and monologues show are that he is manipulative and smart, yet also caring and loving. Other traits Antony shows include agreeable, but capable of being in charge; athletic; popular; and able to give recognition where it is deserved. Like most people, Antony has both bad and good traits, and his speeches reflect that.
The manipulative nature of Antony proves true two times. The first time is when Antony is speaking at Caesars funeral. Antony is manipulating the crowd by using pauses and by talking Brutus up. This is what Antony says in that instance, Yet Brutus says he was ambitious; and Brutus is an honorable man. (Act III, scene ii, lines 94-95) Antony is saying maybe Brutus is right because he says Caesar was ambitious, and Brutus is, in fact, a very honorable man.
In another instance he says, Have patience, gentle friends, I must not read it, speaking of Caesars will. (Act III, scene ii, line 141) Antony is trying to get the people excited about the will, so they will tell him to read it by acting like he shouldnt read it. The second time Antony shows that he is manipulative when he wants to change Caesars will. At that time Antony proves himself by saying, But, Lepidus, go you to Caesars house; Fetch the will hither, and we shall determine how to cut off some charge in legacies.
(Act IV, scene I, lines 7-9) Antony is telling Lepidus to go get the will so they can change it. Antonys ability to be manipulative is well proven in these instances. The loving side of Antony that allows him to give recognition where it is deserved is shown a few times. One time comes close after Caesars death.
Antony says, Thou art the ruins of the noblest man that ever lived in the tide of the times, and it shows his love for Caesar by saying that the noblest man he ever knew was now dead. (Act III, scene I, lines 256-257) Another time, when his ability to give credit where credit is due shows up at the very end of the play after Brutuss death when Antony says, This was the noblest Roman of them all, and he is saying that Brutus is the most noble man he had ever met or heard about. (Act V, scene v, line 68) Antony does have a loving side despite some of the bad things he does over the course of the play Julius Caesar. Marcus Antonius is proven to have many character traits. All of his character traits allow him to be unpredictable.
Even the two traits manipulating and loving allow Antony to be unpredictable, despite the fact he has many more traits. Antony has many character traits and is unpredictable, so Shakespeare did in fact do a great job establishing him as a round character with Antonys monologues, soliloquies, and even his dialogue.
